Nicolas Maduro, loyal spokesman, to succeed Chavez

Venezuela's Vice President Nicolas Maduro, left, and Diosdado Cabello, president of Venezuela's National Assembly, gesture to supporters as they arrive to the National Assembly for the state-of-the-nation address in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. Maduro, Chavez's self-appointed successor, said on television that his boss "is battling there for his health, for his life, and we're accompanying him." (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
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Venezuela's Vice President Nicolas Maduro, left, and Diosdado Cabello, president of Venezuela's National Assembly, gesture to supporters as they arrive to the National Assembly for the state-of-the-nation address in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013. Maduro, Chavez's self-appointed successor, said on television that his boss "is battling there for his health, for his life, and we're accompanying him." (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
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It's unclear when Maduro and Chavez first met. But Chavez is thought to have first gotten to know Maduro in the 1980s, when Chavez was a lieutenant colonel and began a clandestine movement of disgruntled military officers that eventually carried out a failed coup attempt in 1992. Chavez was jailed on military rebellion charges and then released in 1994 when he was pardoned.

Maduro went on to become a leading member of Chavez's nascent political movement, growing closer to the budding politician and also getting to know Cilia Flores, who is now attorney general and was Chavez's defense attorney following his arrest for the 1992 coup attempt.

After Chavez was elected president in 1998, Maduro was selected to join a special assembly to draft a new constitution. He was later elected to the National Assembly and then became president of the legislature.

Maduro was named foreign minister in 2006 and oversaw international efforts such as consolidating the regional diplomatic blocs ALBA and Unasur, strengthening relations with countries such as Russia, Iran and China, and overseeing a rapprochement with U.S.-allied Colombia. He is thought to maintain close ties with Cuba's government.

Maduro "is perceived by Chavez as a negotiator with diplomatic skills who could potentially gather the support of the different factions and keep it united in the difficult months ahead," said Diego Moya-Ocampos, an analyst with the London-based consulting firm IHS Global Insight.

"Nevertheless, he is not necessarily perceived as such within all the top ranks of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela and the armed forces," Moya-Ocampos added.

Jennifer McCoy, a political science professor at Georgia State University, described Maduro as an easygoing man who has shown a willingness to talk with government opponents.

"He's always been someone who is easy to talk to," said McCoy, director of the Americas program at the Carter Center, which helped the Organization of American States facilitate dialogue between the government and opposition after a 2002 coup that briefly ousted Chavez.

Maduro was always willing "to discuss the issues, and I think that's really important going forward for Venezuela," McCoy said.

Before Chavez underwent his latest operation in December, he explained why he had chosen Maduro:

"He's one of the young leaders with the greatest ability to continue, if I'm unable to - God knows what he does - if I'm unable to, to continue with his firm hand, with his gaze, with his heart of a man of the people, with his gift for people, with his intelligence, with the international recognition he's earned, with his leadership, leading the presidency."

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Associated Press writers Fabiola Sanchez and Ian James contributed to this report.